The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-07-27
SNAIL The CHINESE yOTg9

indicating the tone and tendencies
of popular sentiment. The Consti-
tuition expressly declares that all
men are endowed by the Creator
with certain social rights men can
not live in society unless these rights
are acknowledged: and this right to
a vote in the choice of rulers and
lawmakers is one that ought not to
be denied to any human being.
But such an argument proves moth
ing as an argument for the Chinese
vote, because it proves too much:
it would give the ballot to women,
to minors, to paupers, and other
such classes that are not entrusted
with the franchise; this is not a
social right, but public trust, and
as such is confided only to those
persons whom the political society,
or state, deems suitable persons to
be entrusted with the privilege.
Then again the Constitution declares
that there shall be no class legis-
lation: that the object of the Gov
eminent is not advantage to a GER
tain set, which is denied to another
set, but the good of the whole. To
which reply was made that this is
the gist of the question, and will not
the good of the whole be best sub
served by not giving to a mere ma
jority of numbers, the political
power which should be vested only
in intelligent and responsible per-
sons? Mere numbers may prove too
much for the best good of the body
polite, as Bismarck has been COM
PEELED to abandon his summer cha
teau, because it was so overrun by
mice. Granting the overwhelming
numerical superiority of the China
men, even if it be true that out OF
every three human beings one is a
Chinaman, yet here in Hawaii mel,
there are but very few Chinese
qualified to vote; why deprive these
few of the privilege they now enjoyY
Whatever may be said of the Chi
nese in other countries, in these
islands they have proved themselves
most desirable citizens; to their
industry and enterprise we owe the
speedy rebuilding of the sixty acres
of the central portion of Honolulu,
burned over in the fire of April Is,
1886; they are eclaiming the
swamp lands and nia.lilg them into
valuable rice plantations. They pay
a large share of the taxes raised by
the Government, and why should
not those, who contribute so largely
to the funds of the national treas
ury, have some voice in the distribu
ton of these funds? Is this new
Hawaiian Government ready to en-
force the unjust policy of taxation
without representation! If it be
said that the Chinese are ignorant
of the rights and duties of citizen
ship there is no better way to edu-
cate them than the way taken by
Kamehameha with the Hawaiian
people, in giving them the privilege
of citizens and so qualifying them
to become good citizens. The Chi
nese are ambitious to succeed and
quick in learning new things; as is
shewn by their skill in cultivating
taro and making poi; fix some suit
able conditions on the enjoyment of
the election franchise, such as read
ing and writing English for instance,
and at the end of year, by hook or
by crook, thousands of Chinese will
read and write English, at least in
such measure as will suffice to get
for them the privilege of voting.
On the other side, it was argued
that the new Constitution rightly
gives the franchise to Americans
and Europeans, because they are
familiar with constitutional govern
ment, its principles and operations,
while Asiatics knew only unmiti-
gated despotisms, and servile obse-
quiousness. Their principles of con-
duct, their style of civilization IS so
pagan, that they consider proper
what we consider crimes, gambling,
opium-smoking, bribery, ETC., etc.
They have no public spirit, do not
build up institutions for the welfare
of the community; but driven on by
an inordinate greed, accumulate
wealth only to transfer it to the
Flowery Kingdom of the celestials,
leaving only to other people and
lands mass of well-picked bones.
The United States look with sus-
picion on the growing predominance
of the Chinese, and we must regard
public opinion in the States; for it
must be remembered how much
of the prosperity of this PIN
head kingdom is dueto the kindness
of our ''great and good friend' in
allowing us the advantages of the
reciprocity treaty, that for every
cent we get for our sugars gives us
another in the duty RENTED. There
is danger of this country becoming
Asiatic rather than Hawaiian; for
letting in the Cinnamon is like let
ting in the ocean into boat. Then
too, they have such powers of COM
binatian that because of numbers
alone they can overcome all resist
ance; and their persistency is like
the blood-thirsty leech that does not
let go as long as he can get another
drop of life blood. Loving our
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